Ranking the Top NBA Free Agents Still Available
As has become the norm in recent NBA offseasons, most of the moves for 2025's free agency-period were reported the first couple days after negotiations were allowed to start.
But there are still several helpful players available. In some cases, there are even some potential stars who've yet to be signed.
Based on age, upside, past performance, who can help the most right now and plenty of subjectivity, below, you'll find the 10 best free agents who still need a home.
9. De'Anthony Melton
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De'Anthony Melton is only 27 years old. He should be on the verge of entering his prime. But injuries have become a very real concern for the 6'2" combo guard.
He was limited to just six appearances in 2024-25, and that was after only managing 38 the year before. For his career, he's averaged just barely over 50 games per year.
Of course, a couple of his seasons were shortened by the league's reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it's fair for any suitors to wonder how many appearances they'll get out of Melton in the future.
When he's healthy, he's a dynamic backcourt defender who can rack up steals without compromising his team's defense. And over his last five campaigns, he's also hit 38.3 percent of his three-point attempts.
Sprinkle in a little playmaking (2.7 assists in 24.4 minutes over the same half-decade stretch), and it's easy to still be intrigued by Melton's upcoming prime.
8. Alec Burks
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In 2024-25, Alec Burks' averages for points (7.3) and minutes (17.6) dipped to their lowest levels since 2016-17. But for the last half-decade, he's quietly been one of the league's steadier reserve wings.
Since the start of 2020-21, Burks has put up 11.0 points, 2.0 assists and 1.9 threes, while shooting 40.4 percent from deep, in just 22.9 minutes.
He can create a bit for himself and others. He's still a solid slasher. But most importantly, he's developed into a consistent catch-and-shoot threat as he ages into the twilight of his career.
7. Gary Payton II
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Gary Payton II will turn 33 next season. He's officially a wily vet. And while his three-point percentage hit a concerning 32.6 percent in 2024-25, he's still a smart enough cutter and defender to be a positive force on both ends of the floor.
Last season, the Warriors were plus-6.9 points per 100 possessions with GPII on the floor (compared to plus-2.5 when he was off). And that number was at least in part a result of his ability to impact the game without scoring.
There were only four players who matched or exceeded each of Payton's marks for defensive rebounding percentage, assist percentage and steal percentage.
6. Russell Westbrook
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While Russell Westbrook's reputation for helping teams win has taken some hits over the years, he rehabbed it a bit for the Denver Nuggets in 2024-25.
Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 27.9 minutes. He hit 43.9 percent of his corner three-point attempts and finished seventh in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
And he still played with an almost reckless abandon that can easily catch opposing second units off guard.
If a team signs him with the hope that he can be their starting point guard, Westbrook's shot selection and lapses on defense could outweigh the positives. But as a spot starter who does most of his damage against backups, soon-to-be-37-year-old Westbrook can still be helpful.
5. Al Horford
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If these rankings were tilted more toward "who can help us win a title right now?" than "who will provide the most value over the next few years?," there'd be a strong argument to have 39-year-old Al Horford in the top spot.
His role for the Boston Celtics has been limited over the last three years, but 9.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.0 threes and 0.9 blocks in 28.3 minutes is the kind of wide-ranging production that could help any team.
And when you combine that with his size (6'9"), veteran know-how and championship experience, it's easy to sell Horford as one of this free-agency class' most valuable players (even if he can only provide that value for a year or two).
4. Cam Thomas (Restricted)
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We round out the top four with one more restricted free agent, and this one may have the highest upside as a pure scorer.
Cam Thomas averaged 24.0 points in 2024-25 and has five 40-point games over the last two seasons (despite only 91 total appearances).
Thomas' ability to get his shot off against just about any defense or defender should keep him in the league for years to come, but there's a chance his ceiling will be reached as a heat-check scorer off the bench.
His defense is of the variety that's often targeted by opponents. And though he's improved as a playmaker, he's still not the kind that clearly makes his teammates better.
Still, 22.9 points and 2.3 threes over the last two seasons is hard to ignore.
3. Quentin Grimes (Restricted)
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Quentin Grimes spent much of his first four seasons looking like a player who'd be solid without ever developing into much more than a low-volume, three-and-D wing.
In Years 1 through 3, he averaged 8.5 points and hit 37.1 percent of his three-point attempts.
But after a contract-year trade to the injury-ravaged Philadelphia 76ers, Grimes erupted for 21.9 points, 4.5 assists and 2.9 threes over his last 28 games.
He showed a previously unseen (or at least unhighlighted) ability to create shots both for himself and others. He maintained his outside shooting efficiency and still looks like he has multipositional defensive ability.
In most years, all of that would translate to a pretty healthy payday. But Grimes, like those already detailed, is a restricted free agent. There's really no reason for Philadelphia to pony up a huge deal, since the lack of cap space around the league has almost entirely eliminated competition for his services.
2. Jonathan Kuminga (Restricted)
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As another restricted free agent, Jonathan Kuminga is facing challenges similar to Giddey's, but the partnership between Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors seems far more fractured.
He's been the subject of trade rumors for years. Not-so-subtle complaints about his role and playing time have leaked into the media. And moving him along in a sign-and-trade isn't as easy as it sounds, because of the "base-year-compensation rule" that slashes his outgoing money for salary-matching purposes.
Kuminga might be stuck with a Warriors team that may not believe in him (at least not to the degree he wants). And Golden State might be stuck with a forward whose desire to play on the ball doesn't really fit the read-and-react offense that helped it win four titles.
Whatever deal he does play on in 2025-26, he could instantly be one of the most intriguing trade candidates in the league.
In his 40 career games in which he's played at least 30 minutes, Kuminga has averaged 20.8 points and hit over 40 percent of his three-point attempts.
His guard-like slashing skills and flashes of Amar’e Stoudemire-like finishing around the rim make him a potentially dangerous scorer.
And while he's long struggled to fill up the other categories in the box score, there is plenty of time for the 22-year-old to round out his game.
1. Josh Giddey (Restricted)
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There are plenty of valid questions about his outside shooting and defense, but Josh Giddey spent much of last season (particularly after the All-Star break) proving to be a forward-sized playmaker who can move a team's needle in the right direction.
Over his last 19 games of 2024-25, Giddey averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.9 threes and 1.5 steals, while shooting 45.7 percent from deep.
And perhaps most importantly, during that stretch, Chicago was plus-7.2 points per game with Giddey on the floor (and 12-7 in the games he played).
That kind of production from a 6'8", 22-year-old guard, even from an abbreviated stint, should be intriguing enough for him to have multiple suitors, but he just happened to hit restricted free agency in perhaps the worst possible summer.
Spending power throughout the league was almost entirely spent before the offseason even started, so Giddey doesn't have a ton of leverage in negotiations with the incumbent Chicago Bulls. And because he's a restricted free agent, Chicago can simply match any offer sheet he receives from another team.
Unless he's willing to play one season on his $11.1 million qualifying offer and then try unrestricted free agency in a year, he might be forced to play on a very team-friendly deal for the Bulls.
